The Gift of Song for 2016

New Year - a fresh start, bright beginnings and a time for resolving to be better than we were the year before. It's an exciting time in all our lives when we have that chance to wipe the slate clean and start our lives all over again. It's as if the Christmas cheer gives us the strength to face life head on with a renewed vigour for life.

But as we tackle our own personal battles, making individual improvements to better our lives, our poor planet is screaming out for help. Our negligence and abuse of the world we've been lent is causing planet earth to literally weep with the pain of the damage that we're causing. It's as if the world is quite literally crying as sea levels rise, rivers burst their banks and houses well up with water. Thankfully the latest Earth Summit, Cop 21 in Paris, has decided to take steps to unite and do what it can to slow down the problem.

But what about war and social unrest that's gripped each and everyone of us as the terror of human cruelty is evident everywhere - Paris being one of the latest victims of the terrible attacks. We watch, heartbroken, as families flee from their motherland, desperately looking for a corner of peace where they can raise their babies without constant fear of death. It's the sheer panic in the eyes of those mothers and children than fills me with utter sadness - what are we doing to our future generations? We should be protecting and nurturing them, not leaving them to fight for their lives.

I hope to contribute the world with what I can give, song. In everyone's darkest moments, a touching word or a soothing song can make just a tiny bit of difference, just a small glimmer of hope can be gained when we put melody to a hopeful message. My new album, 'Smoke In My Veins' is offered to everyone in the world for 2016, a spark of light amongst this time of despair.

But it's mainly the women of this world that I reach out to in the words and sentiment of this album. So many women fall victim to society during times of war as they're beaten, battered and abused by those stronger than they are or as they put their lives on the line to protect their offspring. I held each and everyone of those victims close to my heart as I penned and recorded the tracks on this album, hoping that some words of comfort will be gleaned from my poignant messaging within the songs.

No one can't change the world on their own, but I can urge everyone to put song in your heart. Resolve to make song a part of each day of your lives for 2016, use melody to comfort or soothe those with worries, sing to yourselves on the way to work each day or simply use song to share the good times with those around you. Sing songs and smile for 2016.